Linerless combined mailing label and return label and method of manufacturing same

ABSTRACT

A combined primary label and secondary label comprises a first piece of paper, a first release coating disposed on a portion of the first piece of paper, a second piece of paper, a second release coating different from the first release coating and disposed on a portion of the second piece of paper. The combined primary and secondary label further comprises an adhesive layer disposed between the first and second pieces of paper such that (i) a primary label can be peeled away with at least some adhesive of the adhesive layer from the second release coating disposed on the portion of the second piece of paper, and (ii) a secondary label can be peeled away with at least some adhesive of the same adhesive layer from the first release coating disposed on the portion of the first piece of paper.

BACKGROUND

The present application relates to mailing labels and return labels, andis particularly directed to a linerless combined mailing label andreturn label and method of manufacturing same.

A known combined mailing label and return label includes two pieces ofthermal paper in which one piece is used as a mailing label and theother piece is used as a return label. A release liner is providedbetween pressure-sensitive glue which is disposed on the backside of themailing label and pressure-sensitive glue disposed on the backside ofthe return label. The release liner allows mailing label along with itspressure-sensitive glue to be cleanly peeled away from one side of therelease liner, and return label along with its pressure-sensitive glueto be cleanly peeled away from the other side of the release liner. Itwould be desirable to provide a combined mailing label and return labelwhich is less expensive and which is easier to manufacture.

SUMMARY

In accordance with one embodiment, a combined primary label andsecondary label comprises a first piece of paper, a first releasecoating disposed on a portion of the first piece of paper, a secondpiece of paper, a second release coating different from the firstrelease coating and disposed on a portion of the second piece of paper.The combined primary and secondary label further comprises an adhesivelayer disposed between the first and second pieces of paper such that(i) a primary label can be peeled away with at least some adhesive ofthe adhesive layer from the second release coating disposed on theportion of the second piece of paper, and (ii) a secondary label can bepeeled away with at least some adhesive of the same adhesive layer fromthe first release coating disposed on the portion of the first piece ofpaper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows backside views of first and second thermal paper portionsused in the construction of a linerless combined mailing label andreturn label in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, and shows a release coating and apressure-sensitive glue disposed on the first thermal paper portion ofFIG. 1, and a release coating disposed on the second thermal paperportion of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIGS. 1 and 2, and shows a perforation in the firstthermal paper portion of FIGS. 1 and 2, and a die cut in the secondthermal paper portion of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the first and second thermal paperportions of FIG. 3 being assembled together to form a blank linerlesscombined mailing label and return label.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing mailing address side of the blanklinerless combined mailing label and return label of FIG. 4, and returnaddress side of the blank linerless combined mailing label and returnlabel of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5, and shows a mailing address printed on themailing address side, and a return address printed on the return addressside of the linerless combined mailing label and return label of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing mailing label being removed andready to be applied to a mailing package to be mailed to the mailingaddress of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the removed mailing label of FIG. 7applied to a mailing package to be mailed to the mailing address of FIG.6.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing return label being removed from themailing package of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the removed return label of FIG. 9peeled away and applied to a return package to be returned to the returnaddress of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a first piece 10 of material and a second piece 20of material are provided to form a combined mailing label and returnlabel in accordance with one embodiment as will be described herein. Thefirst piece 10 of material has a front major surface 11 (shown in FIG.5) and a back major surface 12. The front major surface 11 of the firstpiece 10 of material has a thermal-sensitive coating disposed thereon.Similarly, the second piece 20 of material has a front major surface 13(shown in FIG. 5) and a back major surface 22. The front major surface13 of the second piece 20 of material has a thermal-sensitive coating(also not shown) disposed thereon. Size of the second piece 20 ofmaterial is larger than size of the first piece 10 of material such asshown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, a first release coating 14 is disposed on asubstantially rectangular-shaped central portion of the backside 12 ofthe first piece 10 of material. A layer adhesive in the form ofpressure-sensitive glue 16 covers the first release coating 14 and isdisposed on substantially the entire backside 12. Also, as shown in FIG.2, a second release coating 24 is disposed on a substantiallyframe-shaped area of the backside 22 of the second piece 20 of material.The second release coating 24 and the first release coating 14 may bethe same or different from each other. The frame-shaped second releasecoating 24 forms a central rectangular area 26 which is devoid of secondrelease coating 24. The size of rectangular area 26 on the back side 22of the second piece 20 of material substantially corresponds to the sizeof the rectangular-shaped first release coating 14 on the backside 12 ofthe first piece 10 of material.

As shown in FIG. 3, a substantially rectangular-shaped perforation 18 isformed in the first piece 10 of material. The size of therectangular-shaped perforation 18 corresponds to about the same size asthe rectangular-shaped first release coating 14. A substantiallyrectangular-shaped die cut 28 is formed in the second piece 20 ofmaterial. The rectangular-shaped die cut 28 corresponds to about thesame size as the central rectangular area 26 which is devoid of secondrelease coating 24. The rectangular-shaped perforation 18 may beslightly larger than the rectangular-shaped die cut 28.

Referring to FIG. 4, the backside 12 of the first piece 10 of materialand the back side 22 of the second piece 20 of material are movedtowards each other and pressed together to form a blank combined mailinglabel and return label. When the backside 12 and the back side 22 of thefirst and second pieces 10, 20 of material engage, a frame-shaped glueportion of the pressure-sensitive glue 16 engages with and adheres tothe frame-shaped second release coating 24. Also, a rectangular-shapedglue portion of the pressure-sensitive glue 16 on the backside 12 of thefirst piece 10 adheres to the central rectangular area 26 of the backside 22 of the second piece 20 devoid of second release coating 24. Theblank combined mailing label and return label formed is shown in FIG. 5,and is designated with reference numeral “30”. Mailing address side 32of the combined label 30 is shown at top of FIG. 5, and return addressside 34 of the combined label is shown at bottom of FIG. 5. The combinedmailing label and return label 30 is now ready to be used.

During use of the combined mailing label and return label 30, a mailingaddress 33 is printed on the mailing address side 32, and a returnaddress 35 is printed on the return address side 34, as shown in FIG. 6.Then, as shown in FIG. 7, mailing label 40 is peeled away and can beapplied to a mailing package to be sent to the recipient indicated inthe mailing address 33 (FIG. 6) printed on the mailing address side 32.While mailing label 40 is being peeled away, return label 50 is alsopeeled away and is attached to the back of mailing label 40 as shown inFIG. 7. This occurs because of the rectangular-shaped glue portion ofthe pressure-sensitive glue 16 (which overlies the rectangular-shapedfirst release coating 14 shown in FIG. 3) adhering to the rectangulararea 26 and the presence of the die cut 18 formed in the second piece 20of material. Thus, return label 50 breaks away at its die ties asmailing label 40 is being peeled away as shown in FIG. 7, and isattached to the back of mailing label 40 by way of therectangular-shaped glue portion. Dimensions of the die cut 18 definesdimensions of return label 50.

As shown in FIG. 8, mailing label 40 (along with return label 50attached on back) is applied to a mailing package 60 to be sent to therecipient indicated in the mailing address 33. After the recipient atthe mailing address 33 receives the mailing package 60, the recipientcan remove return label 50 from the combined label, as shown in FIG. 9.More specifically, return label 50 is removed by manipulating andbreaking the perforation 18 which is formed in the first piece 10 ofmaterial (FIG. 3). The recipient at the mailing address 33 can now usethe removed return label 50 to send a return package 70 (as shown inFIG. 10) to the recipient indicated in the return address 35. Morespecifically, return label 50 is peeled away from the first releasecoating 14. The corresponding glue portion which previously overlaid thefirst release coating 14 allows return label 50 to be applied to thereturn package 70.

It should be apparent that a combined mailing label and return label isprovided using two pieces of one-sided thermal paper material which arejoined together with a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesivetherebetween. One piece of thermal paper material has a perforation andthe other piece of thermal paper material has a corresponding die cut inregistration with the perforation such that a mailing label (with areturn label on its back) can be peeled away and applied to a mailingpackage. The perforation allows the recipient of the mailing package tomanipulate and remove the return label from the mailing package, andthereby to expose the return address on the return address side of thereturn label. The removed return label can then be subsequently peeledaway from a release coating material and applied to a return package.

It should also be apparent that adhesive for the mailing label andadhesive for the return label are from the same layer of adhesive whichwas applied to make the combined mailing label and return label.Accordingly, only one layer of adhesive is needed to manufacture thecombined mailing label and return label.

It should also be apparent that the combined mailing label and returnlabel is linerless in that there is no release liner between two piecesof thermal paper material. Since no release liner is needed, the resultis less cost to manufacture the combined mailing label and return label.Also, since no release liner is needed, the combined mailing label andreturn label can be manufactured using simpler equipment.

Although the above description describes a rectangular-shaped mailinglabel 40 and a rectangular shaped return label 50 (FIG. 7), it isconceivable that other shapes are possible. Accordingly, other shapes ofperforations in the first piece 10 of material (FIG. 3) and other shapesof die cuts in the second piece 20 of material are possible. Also,although the above description describes pressure-sensitive glue beingapplied to substantially the entire backside 12 of the first piece 10 ofmaterial, it is conceivable that only a portion or portions of thebackside 12 have pressure-sensitive glue applied thereto. Anycombination of shapes of perforations, shapes of die cuts, releasecoating patterns, and adhesive patterns may be used.

Also, although the above description describes first and second piecesof thermal paper being used to make a combined label, it is conceivablethat first and second pieces of non-thermal paper may be used to make acombined label.

Further, although the above description describes a combined label usedin an application as a mailing label and a return label, it isconceivable that the combined label may used in other types applicationssuch as any type of application where a primary label and a secondarylabel are needed.

While the present invention has been illustrated by the description ofexample processes and system components, and while the various processesand components have been described in detail, applicant does not intendto restrict or in any limit the scope of the appended claims to suchdetail. Additional modifications will also readily appear to thoseskilled in the art. The invention in its broadest aspects is thereforenot limited to the specific details, implementations, or illustrativeexamples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made fromsuch details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant'sgeneral inventive concept.

1-17. (canceled)
 18. A combination label, comprising: a first substratecomprising a first release coating disposed on a portion of a backsideof the first substrate and an adhesive coating disposed on the backsidewith the adhesive coating covering the first release coating and otherportions of the backside; and a second substrate comprising a secondrelease coating disposed on a backside of the second substrate; whereinthe first substrate and the second substrate are aligned and joinedtogether by the adhesive coating on the corresponding backsides; whereina primary label is defined in the first substrate and a secondary labelis defined in the second substrate and the primary label and thesecondary label are adapted to be separated from the first substrate andsecond substrate together as two independent labels; wherein the primarylabel and the secondary label are further adapted to be peeled apartwith adhesive from the adhesive layer remaining on the backside of thesecondary label to permit the secondary label to be affixed to asurface.
 19. The combination label of claim 18, wherein the firstrelease coating and the second release coating are a same type ofrelease coating.
 20. The combination label of claim 18, wherein thefirst release coating and the second release coating are different typesof release coatings.
 21. The combination label of claim 18, wherein thefirst substrate is larger than the second substrate.
 22. The combinationlabel of claim 18, wherein a second portion of the backside for thefirst substrate comprises the adhesive coating but lacks the firstrelease coating that is deposited under the adhesive coating on theportion of the backside for the first substrate.
 23. The combinationlabel of claim 22, wherein the portion of the backside corresponds tothe primary label defined in the first substrate.
 24. The combinationlabel of claim 23, wherein the second substrate is substantially a samesize as the portion of the backside that corresponds to the primarylabel.
 25. The combination label of claim 18, wherein the primary labelis defined by a first rectangular die cut into the first substrate. 26.The combination label of claim 25, wherein the secondary label isdefined by a second rectangular die cut into the second substrate. 27.The combination label of claim 18, wherein the first rectangular die cutis larger than the second rectangular die cut.
 28. The combination labelof claim 18, wherein the first substrate is a first thermal paper, andthe second substrate is a second thermal paper.
 29. The combinationlabel of claim 18, wherein the primary label is a mailing address label,and the secondary label is a return address label.
 30. A combinationlabel, comprising: a first paper of a first size and comprising a firstdie cut portion defining a primary label; a second paper of a secondsize and comprising a second die cut portion defining a secondary label,wherein the first size is greater than the second size; a first releasecoating deposited on a backside of the first paper that corresponds tothe first die cut portion; an adhesive coating deposited on the backsideof the first paper with a portion of the adhesive coating deposited overthe first release coating; and a second release coating deposited on abackside of the second paper that corresponds to the second due cutportion; wherein the backsides of the first paper and the second paperare aligned and joined with the second die cut portion of the secondpaper centered with the first die cut portion of the first paper to formthe combination label.
 31. The combination label of claim 30, whereinthe first release coating and the second release coating are a same typeof release coating.
 32. The combination label of claim 30, wherein thefirst release coating and the second release coatings are differenttypes of release coatings.
 33. The combination label of claim 30,wherein the second paper is substantially a same size and shape asprimary label associated with the first die cut portion in the firstpaper.
 34. The combination label of claim 30, wherein a front side ofthe primary label comprises a printed mailing address and a front sideof the secondary label comprises a printed return address.
 35. Acombination label, comprising: a first thermal paper comprising a firstdie cut portion defining a primary label; a second thermal papercomprising a second due cut portion defining a secondary label; abackside of the first thermal paper that corresponds to a first areadefined by the first die cut portion comprises a release coating; thebackside of the first thermal paper comprises an adhesive coating withthe adhesive coating covering the first area; and a backside of thesecond thermal paper that corresponds to a second area defined by thesecond die cut portion comprises the release coating; wherein theprimary label is adapted to be removed from the first thermal paper withthe secondary label attached to the backside of the first thermal paper;wherein secondary label is adapted to be peeled away from the primarylabel with the adhesive coating remaining on the backside of thesecondary label to reapply the backside of the secondary label to asurface.
 36. The combination label of claim 35, wherein the secondthermal paper is substantially a same size and shape as the first areadefined by the first die cut portion of the first thermal paper.
 37. Thecombination label of claim 35, wherein the first area is greater thanthe second area.
 38. The combination label of claim 35, wherein a frontside of the primary label comprises a printed mailing address and afront side of the secondary label comprises a printed return address.